JOIN USKasaragod commuters seek Covid test exemption to enter Dakshina Kannada
Commuters from Kasaragod district, which neighbours Kerala, has submitted a memorandum to Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V seeking exemption from the mandatory RT-PCR negative report, to enter Dakshina Kannada.
A delegation of Sahayathri, a forum of daily commuters from Dakshina Kannada, who depend on the district for education, employment and other purposes, met the Deputy Commissioner in Mangaluru.
Sahayathri members Lokesh Jodukallu, Kishor Yenankudlu, Shivakrishna Niduvaje and Ganesh Bhat Varanasi said that thousands of people including students, doctors, paramedical staff, businessmen and others from Kasargod district are dependent on Dakshina Kannada and travel regularly. With the Karnataka government making RT-PCR test mandatory for the inter-state commuters, the daily commuters are travelling with the Covid-19 negative report for the past 45 days.
“We have undergone the tests four times in the last one-and-a-half months. With the resumption of schools and colleges, the students from Kasargod studying in educational institutions too have to undergo the test once in a week, which is causing a lot of inconvenience,” they explained.
The DC said a decision will be taken based on the test positivity rate in Kasaragod district.
According to the available statistics, the test positivity rate (TPR) in 12 gram panchayats and one municipality area in Kasargod taluk is 2.09 per cent.
The Kasargod taluk has 390 active Covid-19 cases. The test positivity rate in eight gram panchayats in Manjeshwara taluk is 0.45 per cent and the active cases in Manjeshwara taluk is 94. People from Kasargod and Manjeshwara taluks are dependent on Dakshina Kannada. Both taluks have seen reduction in test positivity rate and active Covid-19 cases, said the delegation.